Thursday 18 February 2016

Plums

Plums
Way back at the end of summer, which seems like a million years ago, a friend left a bag of plums on the doorstep. I knew she was going to - her daughter's tree was laden and she'd made as much jam as she could be getting on with - but I didn't realise just how many there were. It wasn't quite like the cherry mountain, but it was a good 5kgs of small, ripe plums.

I've been meaning to post about those plums and what I did with them for ages, but I kept thinking "just one more dish and then...".

I made jam, of course. But I think I overcooked it and I haven't actually been game to try and get it out of the jar yet. Might need a hatchet.
Baked plums with almonds
I baked some, with a handful of almonds for crunch, and ate them with vanilla yoghurt for breakfast. I stewed some and froze them in portions.
Custard slice
I baked some in a sort of galaktoboureko-inspired custard slice. It would have been much more successful if the phyllo pastry I ordered had turned up - as it was I used puff, which was too thick and didn't bake through nicely. Tasted good but.
Custard slice, sliced
Some went into a rather nice duck dish, with ginger and star anise. I should have written down the recipe.
Duck in plum sauce
But most of them I semi-dried and then bottled in a boozy syrup. I dipped each half in a simple syrup, laid them on a rack over a baking tin, and cooked them in a 120C oven for about half an hour until they were slightly dried and chewy. They went into a sterilised jar, and I poured equal measures of hot simple syrup and rum over them.

The jar has sat in the kitchen for months, waiting for inspiration to strike.

Finally I decided. I baked them in a tart with a pistachio frangipane. And very nice it was too.



4 comments:

leaf (the indolent cook) said...

I love plums, especially the ones from my local farmers market. I usually just eat them as is, but your pistachio frangipane plum tart looks fabulous!

grace said...

i'd delighted by your plum post! i feel like i don't eat nearly enough of those little gems--they're so versatile, and you've shown that quite well!

Bettina Douglas said...

we are just at that point of the season where the other stone fruit are coming to an end and the plums are fabulous. Very timely.

Marcelle said...

Plums are my favorite fruit and I'm always looking for new ways to use them! This tart looks delicious!

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